The Prince and The Pauper
by Shiho Hahnenfuss
Summary: *Chapter 2 is up!* Koutoku, Prince of Kutou Kingdom, struggles against the oppresiveness of castle life and the responsibilities of ruling. Suboshi, a homeless youth, yearns for a life without poverty and hunger. What happens when they meet?
1. Chapter 1: Two Worlds Apart

**Disclaimer:** Fushigi Yuugi is the copyright of Yuu Watase. The Prince and The Pauper goes to its original author and Disney. ^^;;

**A/N:** I am writing this at 4 am. 4 BLOODY AM, GOT IT??!!! So NO complaints about typos of any sort. *red-eyed glare*

Kagura: You know, you reaaaaaally should get some sleep.

*clears throat* Anyway, I have decided to make a Fushigi Yuugi version of "The Prince and the Pauper, using 2 identical people from FY as the main characters.

Nuriko and Houki: *step up on stage*

Nope, sorry. You two are in another upcoming fic. *nods*

Nuriko and Houki: Awwwwwwwww. ^_~.

So. Due to the fact that I think there're too many Suzaku-ish fics nowadays, I will use the Seiryuu twins. *waves Mighty Spear of Doom and Boshi twins appear*

Amiboshi: *blinkblink*

Suboshi: You're not gonna be one of those crazy authors, are you? *glare*

No, of course not. Humor isn't my strong point. This will be a serious fic.

Suboshi: Do I get to be with Yui-sama?

Hmm…we'll see. ^_^ If you behave, I'll do my best to accommodate ya.

**The Prince and The Pauper**

**Chapter 1: Two Worlds Apart**

Long ago, there was a great kingdom that lay by the sea. The kingdom of Kutou, as it was called, had been experiencing dire problems as of late. The King, a kind, wise and compassionate man named Tamahome, had taken ill with a mysterious disease, and thus had lost contact with the realm outside the castle walls of stone. The Shogun Nakago, a ruthless, cruel and power-hungry beast, took advantage of this unfortunate situation. He confiscated from the poor and needy what little they had to add to his own riches, though times were hard due to the famine that had swept across the realm. Worst of all, he committed his atrocities in the name of the King.

It is on one day during such times that our story begins…

~*~

"Come one, come all! Get your top quality firewood here! Keep those hearths burning!!" Suboshi called out to the passersby. Much to his disappointment, nobody stopped. He continued his yells for a few more moments before sighing and leaning against the castle wall where his little stall was located.

"This is hopeless," he grumbled, folding his arms. "No one wants to buy firewood when there's nothing to cook. No chicken to roast, no soup to boil, no flour to bake…"

His stomach growled, complaining to its master about the lack of food the past few days. The youth groaned and sat on the dirt floor, trying not to think about food. He absent-mindedly rested his face in his hand, gazing at the cloudless blue sky. He could feel the bones jutting out of his face like a scarecrow. He pulled his ragged clothes tighter around him, trying to defend himself from the chilly wind. Winter was coming, and with it, even less food. Brushing unruly golden-brown bangs out of his eyes, he rested his aching arms and legs.

_I wonder if I can even survive the winter. At this rate, the three of us'll be little more than corpses in the street. Stupid bloody famine. Why couldn't you have gone after some other kingdom, like Hokkan or Sairo?_

Suboshi was one of the numerous hungry and homeless people in the city of Kutou. They had fared the worst during the famine, for they were deprived to begin with. Many had resorted to thievery and begging. Suboshi, however, always felt that he could never sink that low. He would rather work for his food than risk getting caught by the Shogun's soldiers.

He shuddered. A week ago, as he had been heading for the hideout he shared with his friends, he had seen the Shogun himself, a contemptuous smirk on his face, as he easily gripped a petty thief by the neck, strangling him. Miboshi had been a sneaky character, and Suboshi always made sure that he stayed clear of him. Nakago had spotted him trying to pick his pocket, and Suboshi knew that the thief was in very big trouble.

He had turned away and ignored the screams of pain and the sound of cracking bones as Nakago punished him 'in the name of King Tamahome'.

Miboshi had never been seen again. Presumably taken to the dungeon.

"These scum have to be taught their place in society," the blond Shogun had announced out loud for the people to hear. "Remember, my word is that of the King's. Any who oppose that word shall be dealt with accordingly."

Suboshi gritted his teeth. How he wished that he could just take that annoying smirk and shove it up that damned bastard's—

"Hey! Suboshi!"

"Huh?" he immediately jumped up. The girl in front of him folded her arms and frowned.

"You know, we're not exactly gonna fill our stomachs if we daydream all the time," Soi rebuked him lightly. Suboshi sighed and looked at his auburn-haired friend.

"What else can I do? Business is as slow as sludge, and it doesn't make a difference whether I work or not," he mumbled. Soi glared at him.

"Well, instead of just sitting there, you could at least give Tomo and I a hand. We're not having much luck either with our performance, especially since there's no music."

"And what would you have me do, sing? If I recall correctly, a certain someone said that my voice was 'nasally'," he replied with an overly innocent tone in his voice.

"Don't give me that crap, Suboshi-chan. You know what I'm talking about." The girl pointed at the reed poking out of Suboshi's rags. He pulled it out and raised an eyebrow.

"You sure about this? I don't know a great deal of tunes, you know."

"That's what you say every day, and I think you've proven yourself wrong more than a million times. Just get up, pack your firewood and hustle. We'll be at the usual spot." With that, Soi turned away and walked off. Suboshi pocketed the reed, picked up his bundle of wood and headed for the hideout.

Fifteen minutes later, he was in the town square with his two friends, gripping the reed.

And then he began to play.

The tune was cheerful, happy, speaking of warmth and security and comfort. The music wrapped itself around the listener's heart, awakening a sense of delight uncommon during these darks days. The dancers served to accompany the melody with their graceful movements, and it attracted the attention of bystanders. They watched, enraptured, and they listened as the music slowly intensified. Some tossed a few coins into the hat set on the floor for that purpose.

Occasionally, there were fumbles in the music as fingers clumsily slipped along the reed, but they were immediately rectified. The tune changed from time to time. It told of sadness; it sang of joy; it trilled with desperation; it warbled with languor. Gently calming, gradually encouraging, heightening spirits and restoring vitality. Like the rhythmic thump of the mother's heart as she cradles her child, like the sunrise on a new morning, like the welcome warmth of the fire at the end of the day, like the first drops of water as it begins to rain.

_In between harsh trials, let the quiet town_

_Fall into a fleeting rest._

_To you who dreams under distant stars_

_I send a sweet melody with a prayer._

The song of the heart carried across the town square, floating on the wind, subconsciously soothing tired bodies and souls. It traveled beyond stone walls, to the rooftops of the castle, where a young man lay on his back and listened.

And as he listened, Prince Koutoku took out a reed and played.
    
    _Come here; I embrace your sadness for you_

_Until your sorrow you do forget._

~*~

"Koutoku-sama! Where are you?!"

The Royal Tutor, Chiriko, sighed in frustration. The prince was skipping his lessons yet again! The diminutive man rubbed his temples and thought for a while, ignoring the pounding headache. Where could His Highness have gone?

"Having problems, Chiriko-san?" a rich bass voice asked with amusement. Chiriko turned and noticed the man standing in the shadows of the great corridor.

"The same, Hotohori-sama. Forgive me for speaking freely, but your younger cousin seems to be rather reluctant to study."

Hotohori smiled and resisted the urge to chuckle at the tutor's annoyance. A handsome youth of nineteen, Hotohori was well known for his beauty, compassion and kindness. Many princesses had vied for the chance to be his wife, but he had refused them all. His advisors were dissatisfied with his behavior, but they acknowledged that Hotohori was wise, and knew what he was doing.

He tucked a few stray strands of sepia hair behind his ear and glanced at the tutor, who was looking at him expectantly. Hotohori sighed.

"Indeed, I will search for him. It won't do for the future ruler to lack an education, especially with Uncle Tamahome's condition." He turned, his cloak billowing behind him, and strode down the halls of Kutou Castle. The servants in the hallways bowed in respect when they noticed his resplendent scarlet tunic, a symbol of his title as reigning Lord Prince of Konan, a neighboring kingdom in the south.

Unknown to him, a particular violet-haired servant was watching him from behind a pillar as he walked past. She didn't say a word, content to gaze at his gentle features. As far as he was concerned, she was just another admirer, appreciating his looks.

Nuriko sighed, wishing that she were a princess, able to win Hotohori-sama's heart. 

~*~

Hotohori found Koutoku on the roof of the north tower after some searching. Climbing up with ease, he sat beside the future King, who was lost in his thoughts. His slender fingers held a reed flute, and he twirled it idly, not paying attention to his cousin. The boy of fifteen gazed blankly at the gray walls surrounding the castle. Hotohori merely remained silent, until the calm was broken by a voice.

"Chiriko sent you, didn't he." It was a statement, not a question. Hotohori nodded, and Koutoku sighed. The silence reigned again.

"It's oppressive and stuffy in the castle. I like coming here; it's peaceful. It's the only place where you can glimpse the town." He gestured with his hands, indicating the tiled roofs of the townspeople, seemingly glowing in the light of the setting sun. "I envy you, you know. You have the freedom to venture outside your domain. Here, it seems as though they think that I'll be assassinated the moment I step outside these walls."

Hotohori said nothing.

"I wonder what it would be like, to live as a commoner. No restrictions, no one bowing to you like you're a god, no need to study dreary books…" Koutoku sighed again, and Hotohori turned to look at him.

"I have often thought about it myself. But then again, dreams are only that; dreams. Reality demands that we attend to our duties, as rulers of our realms. We have a responsibility to fulfill."

"But I don't WANT that responsibility!" Koutoku snapped uncharacteristically. "Ever since Father was ill, it's been nothing but responsibility, duty and obligation to the kingdom! I want my life to be my own, and not have the fate of Kutou hang upon my every decision!"

He realized what he had just done, and was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry I yelled. It's just that…I wish I hadn't been born a prince. I wish that Father had never fallen ill."

Hotohori understood all too well how his cousin felt.

The melody of a flute drifted through the air, and Koutoku smiled as he heard it.

"Listen to that, Hotohori. The sound of freedom, of a life without bonds. I hear the music each day, calling to me; so often, in fact, that I know it by heart. It brings a measure of comfort to me, and a taste of what could be beyond this life. I cherish it, knowing that things such as these are rare."

"Things? What do you mean?"

"Things that make me happy. That make me smile. Such things are, as I said, scarce, these dark days."

And as Hotohori leaned back on the roof, careless of his immaculate clothes, Koutoku lifted the flute to his lips and played. 

The two tunes intertwined with one another, reaching across to form a bridge across all barriers, joining two worlds far apart.

Much to Chiriko's consternation, the lessons were cancelled that day.

-to be continued…

**A/N:** Whoo! That was long. There isn't much in this chapter, but it's just to set the mood of the story, and the general idea of what's going on. This story will not be following the original Disney version. There will be extra characters, plot branches, a bit of violence and some romance.

On the personality of the characters: They may seem rather out of character to you, but my reason is this. Since the cast was not brought up in the exact same conditions as the original Fushigi Yuugi, there are bound to be a few differences in their behavior. You will find Suboshi less rash, Koutoku more outgoing, Soi and Tomo not-so evil, etc. Nakago, however, is still a bastard. ^_^

Suboshi: Actually, the REAL reason is because Sagara's a lousy author.

*punches Suboshi into wall* Ahem. As always, constructive reviews are greatly appreciated.

And oh, the lyric I used up there *points* for the song is a modified version of Amiboshi's song, 'Nocturne'.


	2. Chapter 2: A Matter Of Coincidence

**Disclaimer:**  I used to own the old version of Fushigi Yuugi. Sadly, ever since I left it in my pants in the washing machine, I have to settle for watching the new version, which does not have the original Nuriko and Hotohori kissing scenes in it. Curse censorship! -_-

**A/N:** A reviewer has informed me that The Prince and The Pauper does not belong to Disney. However, I am basing it on the Disney story version, which is why I gave credit to them. *nod* But as I said in the first chapter, I also give credit to its original author, who apparently is Mr. Mark Twain.

**Warnings:** Language, which may not quite match the type used in medieval times. *nod*

**The Prince and The Pauper**

**Chapter 2: A Matter Of Coincidence**

****

Suboshi whistled happily as he counted the coins in the hat. The day's haul had been the best since last week. With the money they had received for their performance, they could at least put something in their empty stomachs.

Beside the boy, Tomo yawned and scratched his tousled silvery hair as the trio walked back to the hideout. He glanced at Suboshi, annoyed. It wasn't fair! All he needed to do was use those fingers of his while they'd been dancing the whole day! He mumbled something under his breath.

Soi noticed and patted the taller boy on the back.

"Don't let it get to you. We're a team; that's how we survive, and that's what matters most," she whispered while Suboshi walked ahead of them.

"I know, I know," Tomo sighed. "It's just that I wish we had some other alternative to living like this. Day by day, barely earning enough to stay alive. What with the current famine and all, we can't even get jobs." He massaged his sore shoulders, staring at nothing in particular.

She didn't reply, instead looking at the youngest of the three. Even from a distance, Soi could recognize Suboshi's slim, scrawny figure, as well as the headband holding his straw-colored hair up.

_Of all of us, he has fared the worst. A boy his age needs regular nourishment to live._

She gazed at the sky, which grew dark with the oncoming night. It was too late to purchase food now; the markets and shops closed hours ago. Only a few people wandered the streets now. Most of them had retreated into their cozy brick homes, which lined the street in an orderly manner like soldiers at attention. Soi's stomach growled a little, reminding her that she needed something to eat, and soon. 

_Well, I can handle one more night of starving. Tomorrow, I'm going to drag Tomo out for food shopping, whether he likes it or not. _She grinned.

Shivering slightly with cold in her threadbare dress, they reached the small den they called home, glad for the chance to rest their weary bodies.

~*~

The sharp clash of steel on steel echoed down the hallways, followed by several more. Occasionally, there was the sound of a battle cry, which resulted in a particularly loud clang.

Koutoku was breathing heavily, clutching his rapier in his right hand. He glared at his assailant who stood a few meters away, out of range. Focusing, he regulated his breathing and held the rapier in a ready position. He charged, desperation in his final assault.

The man merely sidestepped the reckless move. With a swift sideways thrust, he knocked the weapon out of Koutoku's hand before touching the tip of the blade against the Prince's throat.

"Checkmate."

~*~

"It's not fair, you know. You're the master swordsman of Konan, and yet you're picking on a poor, defenseless boy like me," Koutoku grumbled good-naturedly as he wiped his sweaty forehead with a towel. Beside him on the wooden bench, Hotohori chuckled.

"Defenseless? Hardly." Hotohori pointed at the thin red line on his sword arm. "You're improving, at any rate. You managed to nick me for once. Quite an amazing feat, is it not?"

The annoyed younger cousin threw the towel into Hotohori's face, stood up and walked off, hoping that the cloth messed up his hair. He knew that the man was quite sensitive regarding his looks, which made him all the better target to tease. He headed back to his chambers and flopped onto his bed, not bothering to change out of his blue tunic, and fell asleep immediately. 

Back at the training hall, Hotohori smoothed his rumpled hair. Fingering his blade, he leaned against the wall behind him and rubbed the sore line on his arm. Koutoku didn't know it, but his swordsmanship was getting better. He was certain that if his cousin were in a real battle, he could handle himself well.

Training in the night had become a sort of routine for the two of them. It had started when the young Prince had espied Hotohori practising alone in the light of the torches that illuminated the stone training hall. Curious, Koutoku had asked him to teach him how to fight.

Three years had passed since then. King Tamahome had no objections to his son's education; as a matter of fact, he enjoyed watching his son and nephew spar against one another. It was good, that the Prince was learning how to defend himself, should an assassin attack him one day. When Prince Hotohori had to return to his country, the King had employed a teacher to continue Koutoku's sword training.

Of course, there was no substitute for the best swordsman in the land.

Hotohori halted his musings and placed the blades on the rack on the wall. It was getting late; if he didn't sleep soon, he would find himself with horribly undignified bags under his eyes tomorrow.

_We can't have that, can we?_ Hotohori thought with a wry smile.

~*~

"Tomo. Hey, Tomo, wake up already."

"Mmph... Go 'way. Feeling sick," Tomo mumbled, turning over to get away from Soi's prodding finger. His head was pounding painfully. The fact that his bed was a stone floor didn't help either. Soi felt his forehead and groaned.

"Of all the times to get a bloody fever. Suboshi and I'll be going to the market; think you'll be fine for an hour or so?" 

"Yeah, yeah. Just go 'long already."__

Sighing, she shook Suboshi awake. The youth blinked and focused bleary eyes on his friend.

"We're going to get food. Tomo's a tad under the weather, so he won't be coming along." She stood, lifted the sheet of cloth they called a door, and stepped outside without another word.

Suboshi rubbed his eyes, pulled off his ragged blanket and put it over his friend; if he WAS sick, he could use all the warmth they could get. Tying his headband on, he pocketed his flute and the money before exiting the dingy hovel. It wasn't much; just some rickety boards nailed together with rusty nails by Tomo, forming a hut barely big enough to accommodate the trio. No furniture, except for an old pot and a ring of stones that formed a fireplace. At one corner of the room was Suboshi's pile of firewood, as well as the axe with the crooked blade they had found in a pile of junk at the smithy's. The only other tool they had was a knife, currently tied to Suboshi's cloth belt. Three cotton blankets and an old hat made up the rest of their worldly possessions, including the clothes they had on.

The two walked off towards the marketplace, welcoming the opportunity to eat at last.

~*~

Some time later, Suboshi was trying not to drool as he carried the small sack of fresh meat back home. The money was just enough to supply them with food for another four days, and Suboshi was sure they could earn more by then. Soi was evidently satisfied as well with the grain she had in her hands.

_We're gonna EAT! Eat and eat until we're so stuffed we can't eat anymore. _Suboshi thought gleefully. _We haven't had meat in a long long loooong while. It was pretty lucky for us that there was a guy selling his food cheap. Figures. Konan merchants have all the food they need while we're starving. Oh well; that ain't the point. I can't wait for Soi to start cooking, and then we can finally ea—_

One moment, the sack was in the boy's hands, and the next, it wasn't.

"What the--?"

A large dog, the neck of the sack in its jaws, was high-tailing it away from the duo. Soi was aghast as she saw the animal run away with their hard-earned food. However, Suboshi was already running after it, shouting a stream of curses that made the ladies in the street glare at him and cover their children's ears. Some of the men laughed at the boy.

"You stupid mutt! Get back here!! I swear, I'm gonna strangle you and flay the flea-bitten fur offa you and have you for my dinner!!! GIVE THE DAMNED FOOD BACK!!!"

Soi merely deposited her sack in the hut before going after Suboshi at a more leisurely pace.

Well, no meat for today, I guess. Looks like we'll have to settle for gruel. It's a good thing I didn't buy everything today; I just hope that boy doesn't get himself into trouble…

~*~

The guards at the gate were surprised, to say the least, to see a dog run past them and through the open gates, followed by an enraged youth yelling at the top of his voice. This all happened too quickly for them to stop the boy in time; if they had done so, perhaps they could have prevented him from crashing right into a certain blond-haired Shogun. He eeped. Before he could attempt to escape, Nakago picked him up by the scruff of his shirt.

"Well well well…look what we have here. One of the rats that dwell in the filthy streets," Nakago sneered as Suboshi squirmed in his grasp. Behind the Shogun, a few of his flunkies sniggered. "The castle is off-limits to rodents, boy. We don't need anything else to spread the filth around here, especially with the King's…_condition_."

Suboshi glared defiantly at his tormentor. He noticed that the dog was chewing on HIS meat as it lay at the feet of one of the guards, who smirked. He impulsively lashed out with a punch at Nakago's face, but the man merely caught the arm and bent it backwards. Suboshi flinched and barely prevented a scream of pain from escaping his mouth. Try as he might, he couldn't remove his wrist from the iron grip. Kicking was useless as Nakago was wearing armour, with engravings of dragons on it; the distinctive insignia of Kutou's general.

"I know many appropriate ways to deal with rats, boy…and I think you need a lesson on YOUR place in society."

~*~

Koutoku sighed and looked out the window as Chiriko droned on and on about the principles of economics. It wasn't that he hated the young tutor; it was just that he hated the subject. Particularly, anything to do with numbers. The Prince wondered what the tutor would do if he abruptly decided to jump out the window and onto the grass that grew in the soil just below said window. 

Letting his gaze wander, Koutoku noticed that there was someone at the castle gate. Squinting, he noticed that Nakago was standing there, holding a young boy about his age by his clothes. The boy was struggling to free himself, it seemed. Curious and a bit cross with his father's Shogun, he stood to get a better view of he scene. Chiriko noticed and looked out as well.

"Do not concern yourself with that beggar below, Your Highness. We have to get back to your studies. Nakago-sama will handle him."

Koutoku ignored him, opened the window and leaned out. "Nakago," he called with a commanding tone to his voice, "stop manhandling that boy. Even the poorest citizen of the kingdom should be treated with respect. Have him come up here immediately."

Chiriko raised an eyebrow. "If Your Highness does not mind me asking; what did you do that for?"

Koutoku closed the window and turned to his tutor. "Nakago may have been appointed Shogun by my father, but no man has the right to abuse a person of lower upbringing. You of all people, Chiriko-san, should know that. I will return in a few minutes."

With that, he left the library. The Royal Tutor shook his head and adjusted his glasses before taking in his seat and reading a textbook.

~*~

Nakago scowled darkly and released his captive. "The Prince wants to see you."

Suboshi didn't know whether to pounce on the shogun in retaliation or let his jaw drop at what he'd heard. The chance for an audience with a member of the royal family was as slim as finding a needle in a haystack. Deciding on the latter decision, he swallowed nervously and nodded before walking through the doors of the castle.

_The Prince wants to see me! Man, that's the highest honour a guy could get! Wait…what if he's gonna punish me for trespassing? Or for fighting with one of his men? Holy crap…_

_…And just WHERE the heck am I supposed to go?! This place is like a maze…_

Sure enough, the boy had gotten lost among the dingy stone halls that made up most of the castle. He looked around, taking in the sight of the elaborate tapestries and paintings hanging on the walls. The very carpet he was walking on would probably cost enough money in itself to buy food for a year.

Suboshi paused, looked very, very carefully at the carpet, and decided to completely avoid walking on it with his muddy shoes by flattening himself against the wall and inching sideways like some spy trying not to get caught.

_If Soi saw me now, I'd never hear the end of it._

He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice the person standing in front of him until he impacted with an 'oof'. Suboshi was rather strong for his age, but much to his surprise, he fell over instead of the other person.

"Ah! I'm sorry…are you alright?" a soft, lilting voice asked, and Suboshi was pulled up to his feet. A bit embarrassed, he dusted the seat of his pants and looked up.

It was a servant of the royal court. Her violet hair was braided in a thick rope that extended to her waist, and she was clad in the simple black cotton dress and white apron that marked her station. A mole rested about an inch below her left eye, which seemed to gleam with hidden amusement. Her skin was fair in its complexion, which made her all the more beautiful. She certainly was well endowed…

Blushing at the direction his thoughts were taking, Suboshi sheepishly scratched his head. "I'm fine…I'm just lost, that's all."

An eyebrow was raised. "Lost, you say? What, or rather who, were you looking for?"

"Um…the Prince."

"Is that so?" the lady grinned, which was rather unusual since most 'ladies' which he'd met were either demure or downright scary. "Well, lad, if you're telling the truth, and you're not just some ruffian asking for trouble, I'll lead you to His Highness."

"Really? Thanks a lot, Ms…"

"Nuriko. Just call me Nuriko," she smiled.

~*~

Koutoku idly walked down the corridor, his footsteps muted on the carpeting. Idly, he wondered just what he had gotten himself into.

_Sure, it all seemed fine and dandy when you thought of it at the time; a gesture of compassion for the boy. But why didn't you just ask Nakago to let him go and leave it at that? For all you know, that boy could be plotting something._

_…My father has taught me that equality should be practised by any ruler. It is from that that he receives the loyalty of his subjects. All men are equal, whether they be sovereign or servant._

"If I might ask; what are you doing out of class, Koutoku?" a bass voice interrupted his musings. Koutoku looked up into the frowning features of his cousin.

"I have a guest, of sorts, which I have to meet immediately."

"Ambassador?"

"No."

"Neighbouring king?"

"No."

"…Prospective girlfriend?"

Koutoku glared at Hotohori. "NO. It is but a mere peasant. I saw Nakago harassing him at the gate."

Hotohori fell in step with the young Prince. "I suppose this would be your opportunity to discover what lies 'outside the walls'?" he commented casually. 

"Don't make fun of me, Hotohori; I was serious about what I said. And yes, I suppose that I could learn a few things about my father's people from a…personal…point of view."

"I was not making fun of you. I suppose this IS a good chance--"

The words stopped along with his legs, and Hotohori blinked as he saw the two people who walked up to him. He knew one of them; she was a new servant, hired recently; but the other was…__

~*~

Suboshi stared.

Koutoku stared.

Insert long pause.

…

"GAAAAAAAAAAHH!!! HE LOOKS LIKE ME!!!"

-to be continued…

**A/N:** Aha! Evil cliff-hanger! '^_^'

Alas, I have succumbed to the curse of Page Divider Obsession. *nod* If you counted, you would find NINE of these -à~*~ altogether. Now normally, if this was one of Ryuen's or Roku's 10,000+ word stories, this would be peeeeerfectly fine. However, this story has only 3000. Thus, I have overdone it by 6 dividers. That's 333.333333 words for one divider, whereas Ryuen's would be 1111.111111 words a divider. So you see, it is unbalanced. And I have a lot of free time as well to do calculations. *pops medication into mouth and keeps calculator* Lalalala. ^_^

Also, I apologize for any blandness, typos, description mistakes and so on in this fic. Just read with an open mind and repeat after me: "This is an AU. This is an AU."

Also, if you haven't noticed it already, there WILL be Nuri/Hoto-ness in the course of this fic. I really can't resist the urge to put 'em in. And yes, Nuriko is a girl. *hides behind Impenetrable Barrier™ to avoid the raging fangirls* But worry not; the fic will center on the twins, though it's a struggle to not change it into a sap fest between my two favourite bishounen.

Also, some of you may be wondering why Nuriko didn't make the connection between Suboshi and Koutoku earlier. My reasoning is that since Nuriko is just a servant, she hasn't really seen much of the prince since she came three months ago. And besides, I'm sure she would've been too busy admiring Hotohori to look closely anyway ^^

Also, other people will be appearing soon. It was a bit of a squeeze cramming everyone into this tale (the original outline consists solely of the Prince, Pauper, King, Tutor, Captain of the Guard and Archbishop) but I have succeeded, and if the reviews keep coming, I shall continue.

Also, I have taken ill with the odd and widespread PurpleMouse&Ryuen Syndrome. This means constant ehehehehs, lalalas, sarcastic first-person POVs and of course, the urge to write Nuriko and Hotohori romance. ^_~ Because of my ailment, I may have deviated from the speech and storytelling patterns used in this sort of fic.

Also, I am currently celebrating the end of the school year. ^_^ PARTY TIME!!!!

Also, I am running out of 'alsos'. ^_^ Until the next chapter!


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